Electric water-heater.



E. A. ROBINSON.

ELECTRIC WATER HEATER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 7, 1909.

Patented July 26, 1910.

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P. A. ROBINSON. ELECTRIC WATER HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED TUNE 7, 1909.

kfflm' df of my invention.

FRANK A. RoBINsoN,

j while passing UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.

OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WILLIAM VAN LOON,

OF ALBANY, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC WATER-HEATER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 26, 1910.

Application led .Tune 7, 1909. Serial No. 500,635.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. ROBINSON, of Albany, in the county of Albany, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Electric W'ater- Heaters, ot' which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain improvements in electric water heaters involving the useof a plurality of conduits or pipesconnected in series and a corresponding nunk ber of electric heating conductors pamed through the water conduits and electrically connected in parallel or multiple in an electric heating circuit or to an electric switch which is connected in such circuit, each conductor threading'one ot the heating pipes and being provided with a thin coating of insulating material to prevent electrical transmission `olt the current from vthe conductor to the water, and at the same time is of such character as to permit radiation of the heat from the conductor to such water for heating the latter while in transit through the water pipes.

The main object of my present invention is to produce a ymaximum heating eiiiciency with a.. minimum amount et' electric current, or in other words to heat the water more expeditiously and to a higher temperature through the pipes than would be possible by connecting the heating conh ductors for the several water pipes in series or continuous throughout the entire system of water pipes.

Another object is to provide means where- -by the water supply and current leading to the water heater may be turned on or ott simultaneously, or the Water turned on"n or oiia without closing the circuit through the electric heating conductors.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the apparatus will be brought out in the follmving description. l

In the drawings*l4`igure l is a vertical sectional viewof an electric Watcr'heating apparatus embodying the various features Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sectional views taken respectively 011 lines 2*2 and 3*3, Fig. l. Figz is a detail sectional view taken online 4*4, Fig. l, showing particularly the upper end of the water feed pipe and adjacent end of the pipe coil leading therefrom, together with one end of insulating material.

of one of the elect-ric conductors which passes throughA said coil. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a plurality of, in this instance three, water pipes connected in seriesand a corresponding number of electric heating conductors passing through said pipes and connected iny parallel or multiple to an electric switch. Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a radiator and my improved system of electrically heatinof the Water passed therethrough. Fig. l is an elevation of a portion of the heating wire, showing the insulating coating.

In Fig. 1 is shown an electric water heater adapted for lavatories, barber shops and similar places where hot or cold water is required. This water heater comprises a water base,*1*, a plurality of, in this instance three, water pipe coils *j* and *el* and a corresponding number of electric heating conductors *5*, *6* and *T*, threaded or passing through their respective pipe coils *2*, *3* and *l*, and each provided with a' thin coating *8* The Water base *l* is, 1n this instance, securedto a suitable support *9* and is provided with an inlet chamber *10.* *ll*, the inlet chamber *10* being connected to a supply pipe *12*, while 'the outlet chamber *1l* is provided with a suitable discharge nozzle *l3*, from which the hotor cold water may be drawn for use.

The inlet chamber *10* is connected by an uplow pipe *14* to the upper end of the inner pipe coil *Q*, the connection between the upflow pipe *llt* and pipe coil being made by means of a coupling *l5* and suitable gland or stufling box *1G*, said coupling being provided with a bushing *17* of insulating material, such as porcelain or asbestos composition, capable of resisting disintegration or injury by the heat of the electric heating,conductor, as *5*, which is passed therethrough.

The lower end of the inner pipe coil *2* is connected by al branch pipe *1S* to the adjacent lower end ,of the.intermediate pipe coil *3*, vbest seen in Fig. 3. and has its upper end connected by a similar branch pipe *19* to the adjacent upper. end ot the outer pipe coil *4*, as best seen in Fig. 2. These pipecoils are arranged one within the other for compactness and menomy` ot space, and at' the. same time permitting the and an outlet chamber l use of 4the desired length of pipe to heat the water to the temperature required.

The object in' providing a plurality of pipe coils connected in series in theimanner described .is to enable the heating conductors to be more easily threadedtherethrough in such len ths as may give the maximum heating ev ciency under a minimum amount of electric current, and at the same time this arrangement allows-the ends vof the heating conductors .to be more readily connected, in

extend through the insulating bushing i -17 are connected to suitable binding posts -22, to which the corresponding ends ofthe conductors -20- and f--2l----n vare attached, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

The AcircuitH 'wires 20- and Q-1 which are of o posite polarity, are connected to termina s -23- and -'-24- of an electric switch having movable contact members -25 and -26 by which the terminals 23- are electrically connected to, and disconnected from, additional binding posts -27- and 28- =,'the latter being connected by `wires 2Q- Vand --30- to any source of electric ener not necessary to herein illustrate or descriie.

The water su ply pi e -12- isvprovided v with a control ing va ve l731 having a* suitable operating-handle (not shown), said valve being provided with a valve stem having a crank armf-f-33-`-1-which coactsv with a switch operating member 34fto control the operationof the electric switch as the valve iii the water supply pipe is opened and closed.

In Fig 1 the valve 3lin the supply pipe is shown inv its o en osition and as having closed fthe electric switch for heating the electric heatin conductors -5-, G- and -7- for heating the water as it passes through the coils -2 -3-"- and 4fso that hot lwater is discharged at ,the nozzle -13-. l

The movable contact`members ,-25% and 2G- are operated simultaneously through the medium of interm'eshing toothed segments -35- and 3G- which in turn are. actuated by the reciprocatory movement of the operating member during a quarter turn of the valve stem -32- and crank arm 33 in opening and closin" the valve, said contact members -25-jan -26-l being operated Vwith a quick snap action by means of a sprn -87- having. its oppositev ends connect to crank arms -38- coaxial with and connected to the toothed segments -35- and -36-, the' 'spring' being movable through andto opposite sides of a medial line drawn between the y axes of said segments -to produce the desired snap action and to hold the switch members in their adjusted positions.

The connections between the valve` stem -32- and switch operating member 311- are lsuch that when the valve is turned a lquarter turn from its closed position in one direction it will open the waterway through the supply pipe to the heater coils and close the electric switch for heating lthe water While in transit through the pipe coils, but when the valve is turned a quarter turn in the ,opposite directionfrom Vits normally closed position,'the water passagethrough the supply pipe will also be opened but the electric Jswitch will remain open, thereby allowing the cold water to pass through the pipe coils and discharge nozzle -13- without heating. This action of the electric switch is brought about byproviding the operating member S4- with a slot -40, one end ofwhich is curved and concentric with the axis of the valve stem -32- when the crank arm 33- is in the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, or at right angles to the position shown byfull lines, in which position the switch operating niember '34- has been shifted to open the switch, the opposite end of the slot being disposed at substantially right angles to the line of movement of the operating member -'34. This slot receives ra pin or proJection -41- on the crank arm 3S- so that when the 'switch operating member` 34- is in the position shown by dotted lines and the crank arm -33- is turned from its tdotted"fposit-ioii to the position shown by vfull lines, the projection -41- will ride against the V sides ofthe slot -40- and thereby draw the operating member 3ftrearwardly to close the switch for sup lying hot lwaterat the nozzle -13-. n the other hand, if thecperating member andxcrankv arm 3B- are in the position shown by dotted lines, in which position the curved right hand end of the slot 40 is concentric with the axis of the valve stem 32-,v and cold water is desired atl the nozzle -13-, the valve' stein 3Q- and its crank arm B3- will be turned to the right, during which operation the pin 4l-g' will simply ride in the curved end of the slot -40 without affecting the operation of the switch, thus leaving the switch open and permitting the cold water to pass through the coils and out at the nozzle -13-.

y When the valve -31- is closed to cut olf the water supply, the crank arm e33- and operating member S4- will assume the los iio i connected in position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, thereby opening the electric switch and cutting oli'l the waterl supply to the pipe coils and stopping the water pressure upon said pipe coils when the device is not in use, which vis an important feature of my invention, because it not only relieves the entire system of coils' from unnecessary strains from the water pressure, but also cuts out the electric current from the heating conductors, thereby increasing .the life and safety of the entire heating device.

I have shown and brieiiy described a particular forni of electric switch eoacting with the valve *31* to control the water supply and electric current to the heater, butl many other forms et' electric switches may be similari y adapted for this use, and, therefore, I do not herein claim any particular form of Iswitch except onethat may be operated by and siinultaneousl with the operation of the water controlling valve and adapted to be used in connection with a plurality of heating conductors which are connected in parallel or multiple in the electric circuit. Furthermore I do not limit myself to the use ot heating conductors connected in parallel or multiple in connection with pipe coils, as such conductors may be passed through straight pipes -50-, as shown in Fig. 5, such pipes being connected in series and provided at their ends with suitable bushings -17- of insulating material similar to those shown in Fig. 4, and through which the ends of the heating conductors, as -51-, are passed, said conductors being parallel or multiple by wires -52- and -53- of opposite polarity to corresponding terminals -54- and 55- of an electric switch the same as that shown in Fig. '1.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a hot water radiator. consisting of a series of loops or water conduits -60- also connected in series, and a corresponding number of heating conductors -61- connected in parallel or multiple with a suitable electric switch -B-, this latter switch consisting simply of4 a rock arm centrally pivoted at b and adapted' to'close the circuit between terthe heating circuit with conductors *m-*and which may be connected to any source of electric energy for supplying the current to the heating conductors.

What I claimV is'- 1. An electric water heater comprising a plurality of water conducting pipes independent 'of each other, a water supply pipe,- coupling means for connectino' -one of said conducting pipes to said supp y pipe, a discharge pipe, coupling means for connecting the other conducting pipe to said discharge pipe, a binding post carried by each terminus of 'each of said conducting pipes, an

' tending through one -A- which may be at one terminus of each of at the other terminus of each of the conductmg pipes, an electric switch connected to the other ends of said circuit wires for opening and closing the circuit, and a valve for opening and closing'the water supply pipe.

2. An electric water heater comprising a plurality of Watery conducting pipes independent of each other, a. water supply pipe, couplingmeans for connecting one of Said conducting pipes `to said supply pipe, a discharge pipe, coupling means for connecting the other conducting pipe to said discharge pipe, a binding post carried by each terminus of each of said conducting pipes, an insulated electric of said. pipes and connected to the binding post carried thereby, an insulated electric-heating conductor extending through the other of said pipes and connected to the binding post carried thereby, a circuit wire having one end thereof attached to the binding post at one terminus of each of the conducting pipes, a circuit wire having one end thereof attached to the,

bindingl post at the other terminus of each of the conducting pipes, an electric switch connected to the other ends ofy said circuit wires for opening and closing the circuit, a valve for opening and closing the water supply pipe, and connections between the valve and switch whereby when the valve is opened the switch is closed andwhen the valve is closed the switch is opened, and means-whereby said valve is permitted to have an additional movement relative to said connections whereby the valve may be opened independently of said vconnections when the switch is opened.

3. An electric water heater comprising a watersupply pipe, an upiiow pipe communicating with the supply pipe, a water conducting pipe having one end coupled with the upper end of the uplow pipe, a binding post carried at the inlet end of the water conducting pipe, a binding post carried by the outlet end pipe, an electric conductor having its ends attached to the binding post and extending through said water conducting pipe, a circuit wire attached to one of said binding posts, a circuit wire attached to the other of said binding posts, a second water conducting pipe, coupling means between the outlet end of the -first conducting pipe and the inlet end of the second conducting pipe,

heating conductor ex-v oi" said water conducting,

-a binding post mounted at the inlet eigd of ducting pipe,

the second conducting pipe, a binding post: mounted at the outlet end of the second conan' electric heating conductor extending through the second conducting pipe and having its ends connected to the inding post carried by said pipe, a circuit wire connected to each of the binding posts plurality -ends connected to the binding posts of said Pipes, 2 5

pipes, a pair of circuit wires connected to thebinding posts of each of said conducting means for coupling the inlet end of one of the conducting pipes with a'water supply, means for coupling the outlet end of the last-mentioned pipe to the inlet end of A anther pipe forestablishing communication between the two pipes, means for withdrawing water from the last-mentioned conducting pipes, means for opening and closing the water supply, and means for opening "and closing .the electric circuit.

5. An electric water heater comprising a plurality of water conducting pipes each inependent of the other, coupling means between said pipes, an .electric heating. conductor extending through each of said pipes, said conductors free of saidl coupling means, a epair-of binding posts carried by each said pipes for itsrespective conductor, independent circuit wires connected to the ends of said electric conductors, means for controlling the supply of water to said conducting pipes, a swltch for opening and closing the electricy circuit, and means whereby the control of the water can be had independently ofthe closing of the circuit.v

6. An electric water heater comprising a plurality of water conducting ipes each independent of the other, an up ow pipe connected to one of said conducting pipes, a discharge nozzle connected to one of the other of said pipes, an independent electric heating con uctor extending through each of ,for supplying water to one of the pipes,

' pipe,

ofl

said pipes and having its ends connected to the ends of its respective pipe, means con-" nected with the ends of each conductor for forming a circuit, `a water supply communieating with said uptlow pipe, means for controlling the circuit, and means for controlling the water supply.

7. An electric water heater comprising a plurality of independent water conducting pipes, means for supplying water to one of said pipes, means for lwithdrawing water from another of said pipes, electric heating conductors extending through said, pipes, said conductors .independent of each other, independent circuit forming wires for each of said conductors, and means for supplying water to said pipe simultaneously with the closing of the circuits.

8. An electric 'water heater toomprising a plurality of independent water conducting pipes, means forsupplying water to one of said pipes, means for withdrawing water from another of said pipes, electric heating conductors extending through said pipes, said conductors independent of each other, independent circuit forming wires for each of said conductors, means for supplying water to said pipe simultaneously with the closing of the circuits, and means whereby water is supplied to said pipes when the circuit is opened. v

l 9. An electric water heater comprising a plurality of water conducting pipes connected in sequence for serial operation, means means for withdrawingwater from another electric heating conductors extending through the pipes and connected in parallel.

10. An electric water heater comprising a plurality of water conducting pipes connected in s uence for serial operation, means for supp means' for withdrawing water from -another v pipe, electric heating conductors extending through the pipes and connected in parallel, 1'00 means `for supplying water. to said pipes simultaneously with the closing ofl the cirlcuits, and means whereby water is supplied to said pipes when the circuit-is open.

' In witness whereof I have hereunto set '195 my hand this second day of .I une, 1909.

' FRANK A. ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

W. R. FREDERICK, SHERMAN A. MURPHY.

ying water to one of the pipes, 

